MTF transitioning in your fourties(40)?

[JenniRP70]

47 year old here, started HRT last November on a low dosage after working to lose weight and improve health having come to terms with who I am in Nov 2014.  Against common advice I've been self-medicating, and am aware of the risks.  However, I have recently been in touch with the doctor and am waiting for referral so will continue to self-med until then.

I'm now on a higher does of Estrofem which I've increased slowly, but I've kept the spiro reasonable as this is the one that scares me.  I got my first set of proper bloods today having been getting them regularly but not specifically asked for hormone checks, and the results are both pleasing as they're in the right ball-park, but potentially too high for one.  T levels are 0.9nmol/L (36ng/dL) which is below what I believe is a good target, 55ng/dL (free T is 0.2ng/dL).  This appears quite a significant drop as I believe the average for my age is 527ng/dL!  Whilst E is higher than ideal levels I've seen on these forums @ 1270pmol/L (346pg/mL), where ideal levels are around 210pg/mL.  Thankfully everything else is fine with my bloods.

I'm actually worried that it has impeded breast development which were growing well and are around a B cup at the moment. 

[rmaddy]

I started HRT at roughly the same age.  I am glad you will be getting medical help soon.

The typical scenario is for later transitioning women to get less breast development than younger MTFs.  I would love to see a scientific trial of HRT with the addition of human growth hormone, which would more closely mimic the state of the natal female adolescent.  To the best of my knowledge it has not been done.

Bottom line is that if you want a better top line, you're going to end up needing breast implants.  Getting mine next month after 2 years of HRT.  Woohoo!

[JenniRP70]

I was hoping to reach a C cup on my own, but I've only been on HRT 9 calendar months and did start low dosage for the first 4, upping it a bit at that point and then upping again it recently.  I'll bear your comments in mind but give it a while before I seriously consider that route.  I hope you enjoy your new top line in a month though 

[SophiaBleu]

Started transitioning at 43, which was last year. Been on hrt for a little over a year now, and had successfully and effetively transitioned at work before I left my last job. I am on the right path, I think. lol!

[Megan.]

I hit 40 two weeks ago,  so I guess I qualify for this thread [emoji5].
On HRT for a month now,  and full-time for three months. No visible changes yet for me.

Sent from my MI 5s using Tapatalk

[KayXo]

The typical scenario is for later transitioning women to get less breast development than younger MTFs.  I would love to see a scientific trial of HRT with the addition of human growth hormone, which would more closely mimic the state of the natal female adolescent.  To the best of my knowledge it has not been done.

There is a study from 2017 (http://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(17)30415-0/abstract) in transgirls aged at least 16 yrs old in whom HRT produced "objectively small" breast volume and also "subjectively unsatisfactory" breast volume. Growth hormone levels are quite high at that age.

Also, women with Laron syndrome with insensitivity to growth hormone develop normal size breasts and have normal development.

So, there is more going on than just GH.

I've actually witnessed and seen better breast development in many older women relative to their younger counterparts, you would be surprised. As far as breast growth goes, I disagree with your statement.

Bottom line is that if you want a better top line, you're going to end up needing breast implants.

Not necessarily. Wait and see...

Getting mine next month after 2 years of HRT.

2 years is not a long time as it can take between 1 to up to 9 yrs in cisgirls to go from the bud stage of breast development to the very last stage. In one study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2020314/), they state "The interval from the first sign of puberty to complete maturity varied from 1.5 years to over 6 years. The bud stage of breast development persisted for between 6 months and 2 years before further change took place."

Several years after HRT, I've had periods of sudden increased breast growth due to changes in my HRT.

[rmaddy]

I hit 40 two weeks ago,  so I guess I qualify for this thread [emoji5].
On HRT for a month now,  and full-time for three months. No visible changes yet for me.

Sent from my MI 5s using Tapatalk

It will come!

[JessicaSondelli]

I'm in my early 40's!!! OK, I'm 46 but I consider this still early until I turn 49....

I started HRT in March 2016 and it has been a pretty interesting ride so far but I'm very happy with what I've been able to achieve since then. Boob growth could be better (a small B cup) but the hips have widened quite a bit plus my bottom rounded out (Thank god, it was flat as a pancake!!!)

I'm feeling alive and worth living for the first time ever despite the rough times with kids and family but we'll get over it.

Love u all.
Jessica

[JenniRP70]

Other than reasonable breast growth I'm not really seeing anything significant physically, but do note a softer, less oily skin that is much more sensitive to heat.  No noticeable facial changes and my measurements are pretty much the same as they were when starting HRT.  I'm disappointed at the moment.  I guess I'm not one of the lucky ones 

[Dena]

Other than reasonable breast growth I'm not really seeing anything significant physically, but do note a softer, less oily skin that is much more sensitive to heat.  No noticeable facial changes and my measurements are pretty much the same as they were when starting HRT.  I'm disappointed at the moment.  I guess I'm not one of the lucky ones 

Wait until your doctor gets you adjusted to a proper dosage. You might want to take some current pictures because looking at our face day to day, we often don't se the changes. In my case when I was off HRT, I didn't notice what was happening to my face. I was getting misgendered badly and one day when I took a real good look at my face, I realized what had happened. I have been back on HRT for close to 1.5 years and while I am no beauty, I can see it working it's magic again. It will probably take a couple of more years to get things back the way they were.

[josie76]

I turned 40 just before coming to terms with being trans. Began HRT at low E dose in Feb 2017 and at a transition dose in May. I had low T for years and slow progressing gynocomastia so I guess I had breast buds before starting HRT. I'm not sure what cup size I am. I wear sports bras or similar build comfort fit types. My breasts are large enough that without a bra I have to support them with my arm if I want to run across the house to answer the phone or they hurt bad from the bouncing. Still have a way to go I hope. They do seem to have slowed as I don't normally feel the aching anymore but still hurt if bumped even slightly.

Otherwise, I have put on fat on my backside and my thighs a bit. Not really my hips yet. I also managed to gain 10-15 lbs after I started medroxyprogesterone. With the muscle loss my belly fat all dropped into the center. Need to work on that area. My arms now have a slight flabby skin under them like any middle aged woman. My legs thinned down a lot.my lower legs look like a woman's legs except I have big knee caps. Ehh what you gonna do?  My forearms have reduced as did my neck thickness some. Skin smoothed out a lot. Body hair greatly reduced and seems to continue to fade smaller over time. My therapist says my face has changed a lot since I started. I see me every day so I don't recognize the changes much.